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Elin Hilderbrand Books: The Ultimate Author Guides
Do you love stories that make you feel like you’re living the island life, no matter the time of year? Look no further! In this ultimate reading guide to the best Elin Hilderbrand books, we’ll provide an overview of her works, including the Elin Hilderbrand books that rank the most popular by our readers.
- What You’ll Find in This Author Guide
- Elin Hilderbrand Books in Order
- Printable Elin Hilderbrand Book List
- Elin Hilderbrand Book Series
- Recurring Characters in Elin Hilderbrand Books
- Are There Any Elin Hilderbrand Movies?
- Elin Hilderbrand Biography
- Did Elin Hilderbrand Retire?
- Authors Like Elin Hilderbrand
- Best Elin Hilderbrand Books Ranked
- Guides for Other Authors
The Queen of the Beach Read
It’s easy to see why Elin Hilderbrand is affectionately known as the “Queen of the Beach Read.” For more than two decades, Elin’s sun-soaked novels have captivated readers. Her books feature her signature blend of romance, drama, and vivid descriptions of coastal living.
Nearly all of her books feature the breathtaking backdrop of Nantucket, a charming island off the coast of Massachusetts. Elin draws readers into the lives of complex and relatable characters. Her stories explore themes such as love, friendship, and sometimes mystery. They are perfect companions for a relaxing day at the beach or a cozy evening by the fire. Family life also plays a significant role in her storytelling. She draws on her own experiences and observations to create authentic and heartfelt moments in her novels.
What You’ll Find in This Author Guide
Throughout this author guide, you’ll find books by Elin Hilderbrand organized in a number of ways:
–Chronologically in order of publication date and sorted by type, including full-length novels, short stories, and more
–Grouped by Series
–Ranked in order based on a vote of our readers
–Bonus printable list available to our members
We’ll help you get to know the author Elin Hilderbrand better through an in-depth bio, and we’ll answer some of the most frequently asked questions about her novels and her future plans. Finally, we also recommend other authors for fans of Elin Hilderbrand.
Elin Hilderbrand Books in Order
Since the publication of her first novel in 2000, Elin has penned more than 30 popular novels. She’s a regular on the New York Times bestseller list, having sold more than 20 million books worldwide. Many of her books are stand-alone novels that can be read in any order. However, those marked with an asterisk are part of a series. We discuss each Elin Hilderbrand series in more detail below. Elin has also penned a number of short stories, including some as sequels to her novels.
Full-Length Books by Elin Hilderbrand in Order of Publication
- The Beach Club (2000)
- Nantucket Nights (2002)
- Summer People (2003)
- The Blue Bistro (2005)
- The Love Season (2006)
- Barefoot (2007)
- *A Summer Affair (2008)
- *The Castaways (2009)
- The Island (2010)
- Silver Girl (2011)
- Summerland (2012)
- Beautiful Day (2013); see below for the short story sequel
- One Summer (2013); collection of The Blue Bistro & The Love Season
- The Matchmaker (2014); see below for the short story prequel
- *Winter Street (2014)
- *Winter Stroll (2015)
- The Rumor (2015)
- Here’s to Us (2016)
- *Winter Storms (2016)
- High Tide (2016); collection of The Beach Club & Summer People with bonus chapter
- The Identicals (2017)
- *Winter Solstice (2017)
- *Winter in Paradise (2018)
- *The Perfect Couple (2018)
- *What Happens in Paradise (2019)
- Summer of ‘69 (2019); see below for the novella sequels
- *Troubles in Paradise (2020)
- 28 Summers (2020); see below for the novella sequel
- Golden Girl (2021)
- The Hotel Nantucket (2022)
- The Five-Star Weekend (2023)
- Swan Song (2024)
- *The Academy (2025)
- *The Thoroughbreds (2026)
Novellas & Short Stories by Elin Hilderbrand
- The Surfing Lesson (2013); sequel to Beautiful Day
- The Tailgate (2014); prequel to The Matchmaker
- Summer of ‘79 (2020); sequel to Summer of 69
- The Sixth Wedding (2021); sequel to 28 Summers
- Reunion Beach: Stories Inspired by Dorothea Benton Frank (2021); stories from a variety of authors
- Endless Summer (2022); novella and short story collection
- Natural Selection (2024); standalone novella set in the Galapagos
Travel Guide by Elin Hilderbrand
Printable Elin Hilderbrand Book List
Looking for a printable version of this chronological Elin Hilderbrand book list? Our Buy Me a Coffee BFF’s have access to a cute two-page printable tracker featuring the covers of all her novels! Join our membership site today for instant access to your copy, along with some other fun perks!
Elin Hilderbrand Book Series
Above, we listed all of the novels and short stories by Elin Hilderbrand in order of publication. Now we’ll discuss the reading order of her books that are part of a specific series.
Winter Series
The four books in the Elin Hilderbrand Winter Series follow a continuous storyline. They are: Winter Street, Winter Stroll, Winter Storms, and Winter Solstice. These Christmas-themed novels were originally released over a four-year period.
The first book in the Winter Street series introduces readers to the Quinn family. The father, Kelley Quinn, is the owner of Nantucket’s Winter Street Inn. As Christmas approaches, he looks forward to gathering with his four grown children for quality time at the inn. The entire book takes place over three days, and ends with some plotlines unresolved.
Each of the subsequent books in the Winter Street series brings the family back together for another Christmas on Nantucket. Through the books, you’ll get to know all the members of the Quinn family, each with their own complexities. It is easiest to keep the characters and their stories straight if you read them back-to-back. Although Elin does a good job of bringing you up to speed if you prefer to spread your reading over multiple holiday seasons.
Paradise Series
While the majority of her books are set on Nantucket, the books in the Elin Hilderbrand Paradise Series whisk you away to the US Virgin Islands. The three books must be read in order: Winter in Paradise, What Happens in Paradise, and Troubles in Paradise.
The first book begins when a woman in Iowa learns that her husband died in a plane crash in the Caribbean. She and her adult sons travel to St. John and begin to unravel the secrets of the family patriarch. The first two books in the Paradise trilogy end with major cliffhangers! You’ll want to clear your calendar so that you can read all three in a row!
The Winter in Paradise series opens on New Year’s Eve, but these books are not holiday themed.
Nantucket Series
Unlike the other two book series listed above, the publication dates of the books in the Elin Hilderbrand Nantucket series are much more spread out. She wrote the first and second books, A Summer Affair and The Castaways, in 2008 and 2009 respectively. But the third book, The Perfect Couple, didn’t come along for nearly a decade. The final installment, Swan Song, was published in 2024.
Each book tells a different couple’s point of view, and each has a unique plot. While it’s enjoyable to read them in order, the storylines of these four books are not chronologically continuous. You can read them as stand-alones if you prefer.
The Perfect Couple also ties in a few characters from another Hilderbrand novel, Beautiful Day. That book, however, is not considered part of the Nantucket series.
The Academy Series
In 2025, the mother-daughter writing duo of Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham introduced readers to an intertwined cast of characters at a New England boarding school inspired by Shelby’s lived experience attending a fancy boarding school in Rhode Island in The Academy. Elin wrote the adult perspectives for the book (parents and teachers), while Shelby wrote key scenes from the student perspectives.
Released in September of 2026, the second book and final book in the series, The Thoroughbreds, takes readers back for another school year at Tiffin Academy, where the excitement and pressure of senior year coexist with dark secrets that lurk beneath the surface.
Sequels & Prequels
In addition to the full-length series above, Elin has written short-story sequels and prequels for some of her most popular novels.
Summer of ’69 Series: Elin Hilderbrand’s Summer of ‘69 book takes readers back in time to one of the most eventful summers of the 20th century. In two short sequels, readers can catch up briefly with the Foley-Levin siblings ten and twenty years later.
The novella, Summer of ‘79, first appeared in print in Reunion Beach, an anthology tribute to the beloved novelist Dorothea Benton Frank. Summer of 79 is also now available for individual download on Kindle or Audible. Additionally, the 2022 short-story collection, Endless Summer, includes Summer of ‘79 as well as the brand new story, Summer of ‘89.
28 Summers Series: The Elin Hilderbrand 28 Summers series includes the full-length novel and a novella sequel called The Sixth Wedding. The original book, 28 Summers, follows one couple’s relationship across nearly three decades, from 1993-2020. The 76-page follow-up takes place during the Labor Day weekend of 2023. The sequel provides answers to lingering questions about some of the main characters from 28 Summers. It also wraps up storylines for some of the secondary characters as well.
The Sixth Wedding is available for individual download on Kindle or Audible. It is also included in Elin’s short-story collection, Endless Summer.
Short Story Collection: Endless Summer includes a total of nine additional prequels, sequels, and “missing chapters” for some of her readers’ favorite novels.
Recurring Characters in Elin Hilderbrand Books
On an island, everyone seems to know everyone and be interconnected in different ways. Elin brings this to life in her books. If you pay close attention to side characters, you may see them mentioned in otherwise unrelated books.
Although many of her Nantucket novels tell stand-alone stories, the island often feels like one interconnected community, with characters from earlier books making appearances or being mentioned in later ones.
One of the best examples is Nantucket police chief Ed Kapenash. Ed and his wife, Andrea, are part of the close-knit group of friends at the center of The Castaways, and Ed reappears in later Nantucket novels, including The Perfect Couple. Hilderbrand has said that The Castaways was the first of her books to introduce a group of characters who would return again and again in subsequent stories.
Readers will also recognize familiar Nantucket restaurants, businesses, neighborhoods, and other local landmarks from book to book. These small connections aren’t usually important enough to require reading the novels in order, but they’re a fun bonus for longtime Hilderbrand readers and help make her fictional version of Nantucket feel like a real, close-knit community.
Are There Any Elin Hilderbrand Movies?
At this time, there are no Elin Hilderbrand books made into movies. Although, readers can experience the sights and sounds of Nantucket on the small screen!
Elin’s 2023 novel The Five-Star Weekend was adapted into an eight-episode Peacock series that premiered in July 2026. Staring Jennifer Garner, the series, like the novel brings together women from different stages of the main character’s life for a weekend on Nantucket, where long-held secrets and complicated relationships begin to surface. Peacock announced in August of 2026 that it had renewed the series for season 2.
Additionally, Elin’s 2018 novel, The Perfect Couple, was adapted into a six-episode limited TV series on Netflix staring Nicole Kidman as Greer Garrison Winbury (the groom’s mother) and Dakota Fanning as Abby Winbury (the sister-in-law). In a July 2026 interview, Hilderbrand indicated that a proposed second season was being considered, but had not yet been greenlit.
As of the summer of 2026, Hilderbrand revealed that two more projects are in the works: The Hotel Nantucket is in development with Amazon and the Paradise series is in development from Apple. We’ll keep you apprised of any updates.
Elin Hilderbrand Biography
Elin Hilderbrand and her twin brother were born on July 17, 1969, in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. In her childhood, Elin dreamed of becoming a writer, inspired by her love of books and storytelling. Growing up, she spent summers in Cape Cod. Sadly, her dad died in a plane crash when she was sixteen, ending the family tradition.
She earned her undergraduate degree from Johns Hopkins University, where she studied creative writing and developed a strong foundation in the craft. She later pursued a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing from the University of Iowa’s prestigious Writers’ Workshop. This esteemed program, renowned for producing top-tier authors, further honed Elin’s writing skills and prepared her for the successful career that awaited her.
After graduating from college, she moved to New York. She taught 8th-grade English, which allowed her summers off to spend time at the beach. Elin then moved to Nantucket in 1993 to accept a teaching position on the island. She immersed herself in the community and began working various jobs, including teaching, writing for a local newspaper, and working in a restaurant. These experiences provided her with invaluable insights into the lives and relationships of the people on the island, which she later skillfully wove into her novels.
Nantucket’s picturesque landscape, rich history, and tight-knit community captivated Elin. The island’s beauty and unique character deeply influenced her writing and served as the perfect backdrop for her beach-read novels. But her love for Nantucket also extends beyond her novels! She’s an active member of the community and a dedicated advocate for environmental preservation. As an avid runner and outdoor enthusiast, she’s passionate about preserving the island’s natural beauty and raising awareness of environmental issues.
When she’s not in Nantucket, Elin spends months at a time staying on the island of St. John in the US Virgin Islands.
Despite her immense success, Elin remains down-to-earth and connected to her fans. Her friendly and approachable nature has endeared her to readers around the world. Elin often engages with her fans on social media and shares behind-the-scenes snippets of her life on Nantucket and St. John. She even hosts an annual “Bucket List Weekend” in Nantucket each January at the Nantucket Hotel and Resort (the real life “Hotel Nantucket”). During these weekends, fans have the opportunity to meet her, discuss her novels, and enjoy the island that has inspired so many of her stories.
Away from the keyboard, Elin is the mother to her three children. Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014, she underwent a double mastectomy. She spoke publicly about her battle with the disease because she realized that it was something she had in common with many of her readers. She started the #MamaStrong initiative, encouraging other women to share their breast cancer experiences. Her publisher then sent a box of her novels to the cancer center of each woman who submitted a story.
Did Elin Hilderbrand Retire?
In a June 2021 interview with the Associated Press, Elin Hilderbrand announced that she planned to step away from her long-running tradition of publishing Nantucket beach reads. She explained that, after decades of writing a new summer novel each year, she was ready to make room for other priorities and creative projects. As Elin once put it, one of the challenges of her career was finding a way to “write the same thing every year, completely differently.”
Swan Song, published in 2024, marked the end of that chapter of her career and her final Nantucket beach read. However, it wasn’t the end of her writing career. Elin partnered with her daughter, Shelby Cunningham, to co-author The Academy series, inspired in part by Shelby’s experience attending a New England boarding school. Elin writes the adult perspectives, including parents and teachers, while Shelby brings the student perspectives to life.
The two-book Academy series concludes with The Thoroughbreds. Together, these novels gave Elin an opportunity to explore a new setting and collaborate with her daughter while stepping away from the annual Nantucket novels that defined so much of her career.
While longtime readers may miss having a new Hilderbrand beach read to anticipate each summer, Swan Song gave her beloved Nantucket novels a fitting conclusion. Her extensive backlist remains full of island escapes to revisit, and her work with Shelby represents a different chapter in a writing career that has stretched across more than two decades.
Authors Like Elin Hilderbrand
Even after Elin retires, we’ll be reading our way through her backlist for years to come. There are also lots of wonderful authors similar to Elin Hilderbrand that we can all continue to enjoy.
If You Love the Nantucket Setting
If it’s the setting of Elin’s books that draws you in, you’ll want to pick up some books by Nancy Thayer and Pamela Kelley.
Nancy Thayer has lived on Nantucket year-round for nearly 40 years, and she has a large catalog of Nantucket-set books. Like Elin, she has books set on the island during both the summer months and the Christmas season. We included her highest-rated title, Family Reunion, on our list of Books That Take Place on an Island. You might also consider her 2023 release, All the Days of Summer.
Pamela Kelley lives in a historic seaside town south of Boston. She’s the author of two book series set on the island of Nantucket: Nantucket Beach Plum Cove (9 books), and The Nantucket Restaurant (2 books). In 2021 she also published a standalone novel set in Nantucket, called The Hotel.
If You Love the Beach Read Mix of Romance, Family, and Friendship
Over the past year, Viola Shipman (the pen name of Wade Rouse) has become one of the Book Girls’ favorite authors. We don’t know how we hadn’t discovered his work sooner, but we’re very glad we have now! Each of his fiction novels is set in a different Michigan resort town. Like Elin’s books, his vibrant descriptions will transport you to the book’s setting and will leave you with a smile on your face.
If You Love Beach Reads With a Touch of Mystery
Many of Elin Hilderbrand’s books include an element of mystery. If you’re looking for more page-turning beachy mysteries, look no further than Mary Kay Andrews, and Jennifer Weiner.
Mary Kay Andrews is the best-selling author of more than 30 novels set primarily set in coastal Florida and Georgia. We’ve enjoyed all of her recent books, but one of our favorites is The Homewreckers, which we included on our list of Summer Cozy Mysteries.
Jennifer Weiner’s novels span a variety of literary styles, but we especially enjoy her recent summery novels set in Capee Cod, Massachusetts. We particularly enjoyed the mystery element of Big Summer, in which plus-size influencer Daphne suddenly finds herself a murder suspect after attending a fancy society wedding on the Cape.
Best Elin Hilderbrand Books Ranked
While all of her books are highly rated, a few years ago, we asked our readers to vote on their favorites. We received more than 230 responses to our survey. Based on those votes, the novels below were the crowd favorites.
NOTE: This survey was conducted before the publication of The Five-Star Weekend, Swan Song, or The Academy series. However, based on reader ratings provided via our book log forms, The Five-Star Weekend would now be toward the top of this ranking!
We gave our readers the option to tell us why they voted for each of their picks, and we’ve included some of their words as a part of each synopsis. Some readers provided beautiful quotes but preferred to remain anonymous, which is why some quotes do not have attribution.
When the books have been a part of one of our reading challenges, we also included reader ratings from the book logs our challenge participants submitted.
The #1 Best Elin Hilderbrand Book
With so many bestsellers, we were worried it would be hard to objectively choose the best Elin Hilderbrand book. However, our readers had a clear favorite!
Although 25 different Hilderbrand books were mentioned in our reader survey, nearly 25% selected Hotel Nantucket as one of their top three, with the majority selecting it as #1. These results are backed up by the book’s average Goodreads rating of 4.05, with nearly 280,000 reviews (as of 3/25/25).
Although Hotel Nantucket was the ultimate favorite among our readers, there was plenty of book love to go around. The list of Elin Hilderbrand best books voted on by our readers includes seven more titles. Second place went to 28 Summers, which is the favorite of both of us Book Girls. You’ll find the synopsis for that book below, followed by other favorites ranked in order of votes received from highest to lowest.
Whether you’re just starting out, or reading deep into Elin Hilderbrand’s backlist, we hope this guide has been helpful. We’d love to hear which of her novels is your favorite in the comments below.
Guides for Other Authors
We’re actively creating more guides for our readers’ favorite authors. Find all of our guides in one place here.
